Relay valve



Nov. 23, 1943. NEWELL 2,334,834

I RELAY'VALVE Filed Oct. 31, 1941 Z! \X/ ?S/' 60 v 4 J? o (Q 45' 2 42ATTORNEY I phragm V assemblage Patented 23; 1943 George K. Nowell; nearPitcairiL'PaL, assig noifit'o M The westinghouse Air Brake Company,

:merding, Pas a corporation of Pennsylvania trolpipeJ V I Y M One objectoi the invention is to provide .a control valve deviceoi the above typewhich is subjected.

This inventionlrelates to control valvedevices a of the type adapted tobe --located,,between a source oifluid supply and a deliverypipe throughV which fluid under pressure is adapted tojbe -"sup Q plied forcontrolling fluidpressure controll 'e'df'aplparatus and moreparticularly-5o the type opr ated according to variations in pre ssurein agonf This control valve device i particularly adapted forguseinrrailway car brakes where; due to variations in the weight of cars; itis thepracticeto' provide a higherbrakingratio ior the heaviercars thanfor the lighter onesy v It is therefore another ob'ectpf .the invent onto provide a control valve device of theahove seal 417,365

*ibiddy'jsection and a c ap section SQ'Which' sec tions" re, securedtogether. many suitablefmana Contained in the combined pipe. bracketvalve section Z oi the, casing is an application valve B'andTaJreIeasevalve 1 both of which are inthaiorm'oiv lv'e'pistons'gy i ju'rgebyfmea'ns iia; spring is, into s eating"en=- V V l adjustable to providedifierentpressures for any' given control pressureto which the deviceis' V the com a unication Lis exposedfi'and apassageil Z.

of fluid untler pressure Knot shown). througlil'a I {sageprovidedintheva1vepiston 6. .29 ,'Ih releasevalve "piston I is;orm'allyurged,

type employing a diaphragm .assemblage which I i j is adjustable todifferent pressures for operat ingabrake cylinderor other apparatus forany given control pressure to which the device issub1- jeeted;

blage havingadjusting means which is operative to. vary theoperating char acteristicsgof the jas;

semblage.

above character mentioned which is function under allconditiQnSoiserVice,

The invention also comprises certainnew nd useful improvements in theconstruction, are .rangement. and combination of the several parts ofwhich it is composedas will be hereinafter more fully described andclaimed. r

Fig. 1 is averticalsectional View of a pressure control valve deviceconstructed in accord e drawi ti in tioularly suitable foruse asarelayvalve device simple in construction, and reliable and exact in r pmy means .ofga spring. [6, intoxseating engage- .ment with an annularQ'valve I seat, thus closing 7 Anotherpbjejct oithe invention is toProvide a novel pressure responsive 'diaphragm":assemcommunicationbetween :a chamberf ijto which .theputei yseated area oi'the seatedvalve is exposed and anexhaust passage L8. The chamber .Il .isinconstantopen communicationwith the V passage ljl and also; witha passage an d'pipe 20 V i 1.3 Still another object of the invention is gto prolv videan improved'fluid pressure control valve device of the leading toabralge cylinder or iother fluid pres sure responsive device rnousnewn)The intermediate body section '3 cand -which isaconnejcted to thepassage I'I by;

. ;m eans ojapassagel l.

for effecting 'operation of the application and release v valve pistons6 and. "I respectively. This slide 'valye isprovided with "a cavity" 21and a ,cavity 28, which cavities are adaptedto establish communicationbetween ports and passages 29,

uplan 32' provided in the seat for the slide valve 26 f as;,wil1'hereinafter more fully appear. 7 1 Alsocontainedfi'n chamber-7'25 isabell crank f lever 33ifor contr ollingithe operation of the slidevalve-:26.

' The bell. Gian lei/c1533 is .bixitailj mounted 'on iaipint icarried bythe casingQjOne armpf this lever is verticallydisposed and provided withto controI the supply of {fluid under pressure to and the release offluid under pressure'from the l'aballv shaped end 35 which isdisposedin' a re-.-'

,cessY36 provided in the j' top pr the slide valve 26 and the other armof the lever is horizontally.

' disposed andprovided with 'asimilai" ball shaped fend 31: which" isoperatively mounted in a bore fl38 'provided anactuatin'g nembfer' 39.

1";Iriterposed between jfand ,operatively engagingthe-verticallyfdisposedarm of the belljcrank lever V l 7, rovided -wit hachamber 25 which is open at its upper end 7 Contained. chamber. 25 is.ai slid eivalveln H posed between and operatively associated with isa' -gagement with the filling piece. The inner end urge the lever andthereby the slide valve 26 to a release position, as shown in thedrawing. The diaphragm assemblage 4 for actuating the member 3?! andthereby the bell crank lever 33 comprises a diaphragm 40 a diaphragmfollower 4L a hollow filling piece 42,521, diaphragm 43, 'a

mechanism 45 interposed between the diaphragm followers 4! and 44.

As shown in the drawing, the diaphragms diaphragm follower-"44 and anadjustablelevr and are spaced apart axially and are suitably;

701i the'fulqrum 41 5 in the same direction is clamped between thefilling. piece 42am the cap section 5 and .betweensthe filling piece 42and the intermediate body section- 3, respectively.

The upper face of diaphragm and .theinnerfl i surface of 'the' capsection5 define a chamber 46 which is in constant opencommunicationwith.

a" control p'assage and pipe 41. The diaphragm .fl3'jclbssftheopenend ofchamber 25 in the" is;- terihediate'body section '3; The 'diaphragmsliland 43,,together with the filling piece 42 define hamber '48} face"of-the diaphragm asjisthe diaphragm race: of'diaphragm 4!! istheJdiaphragm-foilower he adjustable lever mechanism isdisthed'iapliragmfollowers? and 46. a e a Thisadjust'able levermechanism 45' comprises plurality"of radially disposedlevers-ii; the

outer ends of" each of which is providedjwith a downwardlyfprojectingportion 52 arranged to engage an a'nnular shoulder 53"formedon thefilling piece '42,'while the inner ends of the levers are each providedwith a :similar downwardly projecting portion 54 adapted to engage acen- 'tral boss 55 provided on the upper face'oi the diaphragm followerThe upper face of'each lever is providedwith alongitudinallyextendingguide bhannel '56 in which a metal ballfi-"l ismountedtorch, which ban engages both the lever and. the follow'er' 4 lan-d gfo'rmsa fulcrum z for thelever. o A h .As'best. shown in Figfl ofthe drawing there 7 is interposed between thefollower :H and" levers ,5la horizontally disposed circular plate or disk 59 which is rotatablerelativeto the follower and f -avers; This disk is provided-with'aplurality 0f slotted. openings, 5Bthr0ugh'each of which-a "fulcrum ball51 extends; the openings being so arranged Qthatithe disk when rotatedwill funcm'enti'oned movement of the fulcrum This" worm'isfr-otatably'mounted in th "filling of asiet screw 6| which 'screw'threaiddem.

tamedfm chamberjtdtand abutting the s u per" v follower 44 to which theactuatingjmember; 3.9 is

, .7 f m e s pp ychamber ill to passage ll leading T 'tion to shift thefulcrum balls in directions toha valve 5 m ward or away fromtheperiphery of the disk'de, "pending upon, the 'direction of rotation ofthe "'d'isk'Q For illustrative purposes only each of the slottedopenings '53 is shown in Fig. 2 as of spiral form, but it is tobeunderstood that they may bejof any other form so long as they providefor" the above lease position. 7 H e g "Assuming further that thechamber M at the upper side-of, the Va1Ve"plStO1'I is charged with fluidby wayl of restricted passage I5 to a pressure of the set screw extendsinto a circular groove provided in the worm and thereby locks the worm xpermits rotation end of the worm is accessible for rotation from. theexterior of the filling piece.

, W 'hen the Worm Ellis rotated about its axis, the

disk59 is caused to rotate and since movement prevented @byth'e sidewalls of the grooves'in -the levers 5!, the disk will, due to thearran'gee ment of theslotted openings 58, propel the'ful- "'cruni ballsoutwardly or inwardly along the grooves or channels in the leversdepending upon the direction of rotation of the disk. Since the balls 51constitute the fulcrums for the levers,.

any change in their position along the levers will produce -a change intheleverage ratio: l-len'ce a y-give control fluid pressure in chamber?v1 will;be"balanced bya lower pressure in chamber '25 "depending upontheposition of the fulcrum balls "withre'lation' to the levers. If thecontrol pressurein chamber iE is varied, the balancing pressure inchamber 25 will, due to the action of the le'versgalsofvary in the-sameproportion;

--The flexible-diaphragm assemblage has been hereinbefore-described' inconnection with a relay valve device for use in fluid pressurebrakeequipment-but it is not int'e'ndedto limitit's use'to,

siicha device for itis obvious that it is susceptible to 'more 'generaluse for control pur oses. The. use of the assemblage in apparatus such,I for instance, as feed valve devices variableload mesh;anism,=compressor'unloader mechanism, etc, is

ntemplateds 7 w o I O eration lfllssuming that the fulcrum balls 51 arepost-' tioned as shown in the drawing; and the control pipe 4 andconnected chamber 46 vented; the "diaphragm "assemblage 4 and theseveralparts associated therewith will'be in theirnormal posi- 'tion as shown;inFlg; ;1-.of thddrawirig; In this position'the spring 9 maintains thebell :crahk lever 33 and thereby theslide valve 26-in its reequaltothelpressureof fluid in supply chamber 10, the spring it maintains thevalve piston-seated 7 as shown, thereby preventing the'fiow of fluidthechamber-22 at the-upper side of the release valve piston '1' isconnected :to the atmosphere by way oi passage; cavity 28 in the slidevalve hected-together-and areopen to the atmosphere ,piece 42 andi sheld: ihplace against longitudinal v movement relative to the fillingpiece byjmeans by way of the 'i'iowfrestricting passage 23 leadinglfomphahiber 'l I: to chamber '2 2 Since there -is "no fluid pressure inchainber I 1, the spring 1'6 maintainstherelease valve "piston'seatedsotnit andpassa'getlleadingtothe atmosphere. -'I'he ohambe'rf25,pipe 20 and chamber H are all con 'l i will be quickly reduced: i

When'the pressure of fluid in-chamber M is. .thus reduced, the pressureof 'fluidin chamber ill and acting on the outer seated area of thesupply ,valvepiston Swill cause the valve. piston the exhaustpassage l8is'isolated from the cham- I her 111"" 1 such as a brake cylinderdevice, fluid under pressure is admitted by way of pipe andpassage 41 todiaphra'gm chamber 46'. I I

Fluid under pressureadmitted to chamber 46 7 causes the diaphragmafiilto flex inwardly'thereby moving the-efollower Mand'as'sociated fulcrumballs in the same direction. The balls, as they are-thus moved; act torotate'thelleverstl about] their pivotal connection -'with the=fi1lirigpiece so that theiriinne'r ends -movejdownwardly forcing: thefollower iildiaphragm dii and; actuating,

member-39 in the same direction. This movement of the member 39causesgthe associatedbell crank lever to rock in a counterclockwisedirejction about its'pivot 3 l againstitheopposing action of the spring9. By this movementfthevertically disposed arm of the lever causestheslide valve i ZB'to move from the'position in which it is shown to'aposition in which the exhaust passage 34 is disconnected fromthe'atmospheric passage'iil and in which the passage 394sconnected'tothe 1 passage 3i. The'slide valve in this position laps thepassage td-for a reasonwhich will be dis- 7 ,cussed' laterr' By. reasonof the establishment of the cornchamber id at a much more :rapid ratethan fluid under pressure can flow thereto from the chamber 15 by way ofthe flowirestricting'passage l5 and as a consequence the pressure of-fluid inchamber to move upwardly against the opposingfpressure inchamber l5. Obviouslyithe'fluidiin this portion of the. chamberactsoveronly'a portion' of the area of the valve piston-so thatthe'pressure.

of fluid in chamber l .will maintain the valve unseated and at the sametime render the valve i munication between the passage 30 and the pasw 7sage fe l fluid under pressure-'is vented from the. f

piston quickly. responsive to cut oftthelsupply V of; fluid to thepassage ll when the slide valve 25 is (moved from supplyposition to; lapposition, as will be understood iromth'e following description. .n p 7With the valveapiston inxthis.,position fluid underpressure flows fromthe supply chamber El, chamber. it and pipe 29 to thedevice" to beactuated. From the vchamber l'l fluid under pressure" willfflow throughpassage 23. to the .upper side of the releasevalve piston, andthepressure oi the spring,togetherwith the pressure of fluid admitted tothe chamber will maintain the valve onithe underside offthe flexiblediaphragm 43. .11.:N0W when the pressure' -of fluid in chamber 25 f LThe member .crum balls 51;:fol1ower Maud diaphragmtlll upwardly. 5 x v vnow jacts oversubstantiallythe entirezareaof-the' pressures a'ctingcnopposite sides of thevalvepiston are now substantiallyequal.springfi' lv *acts'to quickly move the valve piston downward- V 7 1y,- unseatingthe valve 65 anduseatingthe-valv'e 'on,.the opposite face. of thevalve.pistcnktoz-cut off thesupply of. fluid from the chamber m to "pipe anddiaphragm chamber 25.1 V l As soon as the supply offluid underpreSsureto the chamber is cut ofi'the upward movement-of the diaphragmassemblage will cease andas are? sult the. slide valve positionl fly.

I When, with the controlvalve device in lap "po- 26 will come. to aistopin lap sition,'it is desired toreffect-a complete release-of fluid underpressure from the pipe 29, the fluid .under pressurevin the chamberdi:is vented in any suitable manner by way of pipe 41, thus reducing thepressure of fluid in the chamber. Upon thus. ireducingpthepressure offluid in chamber llfiithe higher pressure acting in chamber 25 causesthe diaphragm M, to flex upwardlylthus causing the v diaphragmfollower-IJM-and attached actuating 'memberc 39. to move in the same.direction. i upward mov'ementof thediaphragm follow er is transmitted tolevers 5i; therebycausing the levers to pivot at their ends 52cmthe'shoulder 53,.and thllSQtI'ahSmit the upward movement;

through'the fulcrum balls el te thediaphragm y follower-ill which inturn causes the diaphragm to deflect upwardly. Movement-of the actuatingmember 39 inthis direction causes thegbell crank leyer 33frto rotate inaclockwise'direction about the pivot pin i-l hthusmovingthe slide ah/e26:in: a :direction toward the left hand until communicationkisestablished between ports and passages 32 and 3t, respectively, by wayof cavity zii in the slide valve 26. i 10 through passage ll, past theball check valve 1 With this communication between passages 32 and 3!established,fiuid under pressure in chamber 22 flows to the atmosphereat a rate faster 7 c than-itcan be supplied to the'chamber throughpassage 23in the valve piston I so that thepres sure in chamber llactingonfthe outer seated area of the valve 'piston overcomes the-opposingpressure of. the spring it and causes the valve 7 piston l to 'move toits rinseated'position;

' With the valve piston l unseated, fluid underpressure in pipeZO flowsto the atmosphere by p f wayof chamber l1 past unseated valvepistbn 1 1and Passage It. At the sanietirne fluidnmder has. been increased1sufiiciently to overcomegthel downwardly directed force transmitted totthey V diaphragm 40 by the levers 5| this diaphragm 39 as it isbeingmoved upwardly causes the bell crank lever to be-irocke df in 1aclockwise direction about its pivo't pin 34 an the verticallydisposed-arm :of the-clever shifts the slidevalveEB in a directiontoward. the left-hand to itslap position' The slide valve in itstraverse first cutting on "communication between the 1 pas- Q sage-38 tothe atmospheric passagefi i and then es tablishingicernmunicationbetween thepassage-Llfl' a and passage'fih. Fluid under pressurenowcfiows I from the chamber I dthrdughpassage 29, "cavity Z'l'in theslide valve and passage liitothe portion I V ofthe'supply valve pistonwhich is encircled by the valve 55, so that fluid at substantially-thesame pressure as that of thefluid in chamber l0 1 the slide valve26 toits lap position;

pressure in chamber 25 is vented to the atmos; phere through the passage24 and connected chamber I1. 1 i

' 'When the pressure of fluid in chamberi'll and connected chamber :25has been reduced to a deg'ree sufficient-topermit spring l6 actingon'theupper side of release valve piston l to movethe valve'to its seatedposition, the venting for-fluid under vpressure from'chamber H 'by Wayof exhaust passage 18 is cutoff; 'I-Ioweventhe release of "fluidunderpressure from: chamber 25ipermits the'diagram assemblage to return-to. its normal position, in which it is shown'in Fig.1 of the drawing,so-that the spring 9 through the medium of the bell crank lever '33maintains the slide valve in its normal position. With the slide valvethus positioned fluid under ,7 pressure in 20' is completely vented tothe atmosphere by Way f flow restricting passage 23 inthevalve. piston,1, chamber 22,-.passage'and port 32, cavity 28 in the slide. valve andexhaust port 3 l.

When, With the control, valve'device in lap position, it is desired toeffect a partial releaseof )fluid under pressure from .the pipe2d,;theipressure of fluid in chamber 46 is reduced a predetermineddegree. Upon such a reduction in the pressure of fluid in chamber 66 thedevice will operate in a manner hereinbefore describediin connectionwith ascomplete release to reduce the {pressure of fluidin pipe 20 andconnected chamber 25. 7 I When the pressure of fluidfin .pipe 20 andconsuflicient to balance the opposing pressure .ill .in chamberdfi thebell crank lever 33 Will actuate As hereinbefore described, withtheislide valve in-lap position, communication is out ofi betweenpassages 32 and 3i, thus the flow of fluid from chamber 22 to theatmosphere isicut off and as a result chamber 22 is quickly, charged byWay of passage 23 in the valve piston to substantially the same pressureas chamber it. Since the fluid pressure acting on opposite sides of thevalve piston! is now substantially equal the-spring, l6 acts to quicklymove the valve piston dovvnwardlyseat- :ing the valve piston 1, thusisolating the cham- "ber I i from the-exhaustipassage IS, so that therelease'of fluid underpressure-fro1n"chan1ber l7,-:

connectedchamber'zli and pipette is'cut off and a predetermined-degreeof fluid under pressure is maintainedin pipe 2E1. i 1

Having now described my invention,.vvhat I claim, as new and .desire to;secure by Letters Patent, is: ,t L

1. Ina fluid pressure controlled mechanism comprising in combination, acasing, spaced mnovable abutments mounted in said casing adapted to besubjected to opposing fluid pressures; and operative in response. tovariations :in one of said fluid pressures, a plurality of leversoperatively associated with said casing" and one of said abutments, anadjustable fulcrum for each of said levers associated Withthe. other ofsaidabutments each fulcrum being movable relative to one of, saidlevers, a rotatable member forsimultaneously, moving said fulcrumsrelativeto said levers, and means operatively connected to saidrotatable. member said member,

' In afluid pressure controlled mechanism comprising. in combination; a,casing,aspaced forrotating 5 suresand operative'in response tovariations in V one of said fluid pressures, a plurality otlev ers:chamber I1 and connected chambergZE and pipe 7 mentaeach fulcrum beingmovable relative to jnected chamber has been reduced-to a degreevmovable' abutments mounted in said casing adapted to be subjected toopposing, fluid presoperatively' associa'tedwith said casing andione ofsaid abutmentsna fulcrum-for each of said levers associated with theother of -s aid;abut 'ments, each fulcrum being. movable {relative-tooneof'said levers, a disk member. protatably mounted insaidicasingformoving said fulcrums relative to said levers, saidjdisk member havingteeth-orrits peripheral edge, and an adjusting worm" carried by saidcasing for engaging said teeth andoperativej for rotating said disk membl i i movable J'abutmentsmounted "in said ;casing adapted-to besubjectedto opposing fluid pressuresand'loperativeiin response tovariations in konefof said'fluid'pressures, a plurality-of leversoperatively associated with said casing; and .one Y of'said abutmenta afulcrum for each of said levers. associated Withthe other of saidabutsaidlevers,, a disk member rotatably mounted in said casingforsimultaneously moving said fulcrums relative to saidlever," saiddiskinemberhaving teeth on its peripheral edge, and'an adjusting wormcarried by said casing for en,-' gaging said teeth, saidi worm beingoperable from the exterior of the casing to rotate said disk member. 0

L In' a fluid pressure controlled mechanism, comprising in combination,"a casing, spaced 'movable abutments" mounted in' said casing adaptedtolb'e subjected to, opposing vfluid .pressures and operative inresponse to variations in one 'of,,said;fluidipressures, a plurality oflevers operatively associated with-said casing andone of said abutments,a;circular"rotatab1e member interposed between said levers and theother-of saidabutmentsrandhaving a spirally formed opening. extendingtherethrough, an adjustable fulcrum for each of said levers disposed insaid groove and associated ,With the other of said 'Labutments,.saidopening being so arranged that the rotatable member when rotatedwill simul-' Jtaneo-usly adjust said fulcrums relative. to saidleversfmeans comprising anadjusting worm carried by the 'casingforrotatingfsaid rotatable Vmemher to adjust-said fulcrums. i "I" 5. Inafluidtpressure controlled mechanism 'comprisingin combination, a.casing, spaced- 3 movable abutm'ents mounted in. said casing adapted tobeisubjected to opposing 'fluid- 'p'ressures operativein response to'Variationsin one of said fluid pressures, "a plurality ,of leversoperatively'associated withsaid casing and one er said abutments, aplate i'membe r rotatably mounted in said casing and'interposed betweensaid levers and the other of said abutments, said plate memberv having aplurality of spirally formed slots extending tl'ierethrougnvanadjustable fulcrum'foreach of said levers and operatively associatedwith, said other abutment, --said adjustable fulcrum comprising 'a ball'disposed in eachlof said "slots and beingmovable said platemember-relative -to-the lever, and, v means carried byithe' casing "for,rotating the plate'member,

In .a'fiuid pressure controlled device com prising in combination, acasing,

and a release, valv "op r iv y casing; a. control valve operative 3. Inpressure controlled. mechanism I comprising in, combination, a casing,spaced :a supply valve mounted in said atonetimeto ,efiectthe operation10fv said supply valve to its open; position and the operation of saidrelease valve to its closed position, said control valve being operativeat another time to efiectthe operation of said supply valve to itsclosed position and the operation of said release valve to its openposition, and a mechanism subject to opposing fluid pressures andresponsive to variations in either of said pressures for actuating saidcontrol valve. I

' 7. Ina fluid pressure controlled device comprising in combination, acasing, a supply valve and a release valve operatively mounted in saidcasing, a control valve operative at one time to effect the operation ofsaid supply valve to its open position and the operation of said releasevalve to its closed position, said control valve being operative atanother time to effect the operation of saidsupply valve to its closedposition and the operation of said release valve to its open position, abell crank lever for actuating said control valve, and'a mechanismsubject to opposing fluid pressures and responsive to variations ineither of said pressures for actuating said bell crank lever.

8. In a fluid presssure controlled device comprising in combination, acasing, a supply valve and a release valve operatively mounted in saidcasing, a slide valve operative at one time to effect the operation ofsaid supply valve to its open position and the operation of saidrelease. valve to its closed position, said slide valve being operativeat another time to effect the operation ofjsaid supply valve to itsclosed position and the, operation of said release valve to its openposition, a bell crank lever for operating said slide-valve, and amechanism comprising a diaphragm assemblage subject to opposing fluidpressures and responsive to variations in either of said pressures foractuating said bell crank lever. r

n GEORGE K. NEWELL.

